11 years after19 years after
by Ingabritta
Summary: What happened later?


**Phantom of the Opera – 11 years after/19 years after**

"Jeanette, it's time for breakfast!" Christine de Chagny called up the stairs. She was sitting at the breakfast table waiting for her daughter's company. Raoul had already finished breakfast and little André was in the nursery with his nanny.

Ten-year-old Jeanette came down the stairs with a faint smile on her face, beautiful like her mother with lots of curly brown hair. Her only flaw was a mark on her right cheek, near the corner of her mouth.

"You are late today Jeanette" her mother said. "Yes mother. I had a strange dream. Someone sang for me, mysterious and beautifully. He called himself an angel. But he looked like a man, in black clothes." Christine felt her blood freeze. Should she never be free from this? "Has this happened before, Jeanette? " - "No – yes – but only for seconds. But this time he looked at me. I just saw half his face. He said "I'm your father" – but that's not right mummy?"

"No, no Jeanette, your father is sitting right there in his study".– "Mother, I would also like to sing – like you." – "Of course, if that's what you want. I think you got your musical talent from your grandfather and from me. " 'That could not be avoided' Christine thought 'she has got her musical talent from her mother and from her grandfather – and from her father of whom she knows nothing. Is he once more going to interfere with my – with our – lives?'

Christine had feared the birth of her daughter – what if she would have a disfigured face? But nothing – except a very small mark on her cheek. She looked like no one but herself. Christine knew deep within that Jeanette was Erik's child. Once he came to see his daughter, but then no more. What had he been doing all this time? Nothing more happened at the Opera like in the days of the Phantom. 'He abides his time' Christine thought 'but he must also grow old – or was he timeless? But he was a man of flesh and blood..'

After the evening performance Christine tried to call him in her dressing room. "Phantom, angel, where are you? Are you going to haunt my daughter already?" – "My daughter, my child" the Phantom said ardently. "When you do not want to dedicate you all to music but have to waste your time on him as well, and your family.. then she has to sing for me!" – "No, not yet. She is too young!" – "Not to learn." Erik stepped out from behind the mirror covering the wall. He looked at her with tenderness. "Her mere existence is a proof of our love, Christine". She felt tears coming to her eyes. Through the tears she saw his face, with his mask. The unmasked part of his face looked old.

He went up to her, touched her cheek with his hand and kissed her ever so slightly on the mouth. Then he let go of her. "Our daughter must sing." – "Yes, I will let her study. But don't come and confuse her – and don't ever call yourself her father when she hears you."

"It was wonderful!" Jeanette clapped her hands enthusiastically when Christine came out from the stage after the last curtain fall. "Oh, when I can sing like that – and will get such ovations!" Christine looked at her daughter, now at the age of 18 just as beautiful as she had been herself at that age. Mr Firmin, one of the directors, passed by. "Is this your daughter, madame? Enchanting. Does she sing too?" – "Yes she has studied for a music teacher for several years. She has just started to sing in the chorus." She turned to her daughter : "Jeanette, could you ahead to my dressing room?"

Jeanette hurried away. The dressing room was the same one as Christine had always had – with a large mirror covering a whole wall. She turned around in front of the mirror. "How wonderful! Imagine when I will have my own dressing room – when I'm the primadonna!" She began to sing while watching herself, and it sounded beautiful in the room. The light began to flicker behind the mirror. When she stopped singing she heard a voice: "Bravissima!" She winced, frightened. "Who is this? Who are you, monsieur?" A man in cape, hat and mask stepped out from behind the mirror. " I recognize you" Jeanette whispered startled. "You are the man from my dreams so long ago – my angel." – "That is right, mademoiselle. You sing marvelously – just like it's proper for a daughter of Christine Daée – just like it's proper for my daughter." - "Your daughter! You are not my father. It's .." – "the count" a world of disdain lay in that word "he is not your father. It is I, the Phantom!" He made a sweeping gesture and Jeanette drew back, frightened. Christine entered the room. "Erik, what are you doing here?" Jeanette grasped her arm. "Mother, he says that he is my father." Christine put her hand on her daughters arm. "Calm down. He wants no harm. I think." Erik turned silent when he saw Christine. "Christine, Christine" he almost sang in a low voice. Then with a firmer voice "I thought it was time to tell our daughter the truth. She must fulfill the musical tradition. She will sing for me." –"Mother is this true? What does he want?" – "It is true, my girl. You are our child, a real child of music. "

Erik reached out with his hand. "Come with me. There is no danger. I want you no harm." Christine grasped his hand and Jeanette followed hesitating. The road was dark and sloping and ghastly and there seemed to be music all around them. When they reached the lake Christine took her daughter's hand. "Isn't this marvelous and beautiful? I actually lived here for a month – a long time ago."

Everything looked just the same. In silence they went out in the boat. Jeanette looked around fascinated. When they got ashore she saw the house. She went inside since door was open and saw the amazing large organ. She touched it and was astonished by its sound. Then she tried to play. Erik sat down in a big chair outside the house. Christine went behind him. He leaned his head against her chest. She caressed his face. Time had not stood still. He looked old. She took of his mask, leaned forward and rested her hands on his chest. "Christine.. this feels so good" he whispered. And to Jeanette "Sing now my child, sing for me!" Jeanette rose from the organ and went out in front of the lake. She sang from all her heart and the underworld was filled with tones. The Phantom smiled and shut his eyes. Christine kissed his hair and looked at her daughter –the wonder child of music.

Xxx

Christine opened the door to the library. There were her two "redheaded guys" sitting in front of the fire place. Raoul resting in an armchair reading a paper, the fire reflected in his hair, still without gray stains and André, 14 years of age, reddish blond like his father, absorbed in a book. Christine slipped in and sat down in a chair. "Good evening gentlemen. You seem to have it nice and cosy here." Raoul looked at her. "Good evening Christine. It's good to have you home for an evening and not at the opera. Where is Jeanette?" The question stayed in the air for a moment. Christine looked down. "André, would you be a darling and go fetch my slippers?" André looked surprised at his mother. "Of course, mother". When he had left the room Christine looked at Raoul.

"Jeanette is with her father." Raoul grasped the hands of the chair firmly. "Her father! You mean him … him.." he rose to his feet and began to pace the room. "He! The murderer! The Phantom! And you dare let our daughter go to him? Have you met him secretly, behind my back?" He stopped and looked upset at Christine, who had remained still. "All those years I have raised her as my own daughter.." Christine went up to him and took his hands. "Raoul, he is no longer the same person. He is just old, and lonely. He needs her. And I think she needs him too. She cannot deny her heredity. And still – she is grown-up and can do as she likes. I'm so glad she is there." Raoul was silent with a sigh of resignation.

Xxx

Jeanette sat in her mother's room, on her bedside, in semi-darkness. "Mother, I'm so glad I could come to him. I feel that he really needs me." She looked into her mother's eyes. "He has loved you so much all these years and suffered so much."Christine wiped faintly. "Don't you think I know that… But at first he just scared me. I had to choose Raoul. But I tried to make up for this a little – when I stayed with him for a month – that was when you were created. Now I hope that you can give him the music he wants – and the love of a daughter. " – "I will try to be with him as often as I can. The time for my carrier will come. Now I feel like I can do anything. I play the organ – that's fantastic!"

Xxx

"Where do you usually meet?" Christina asked her daughter. "Now I find the way by myself. I enter behind the closet."

Christine knew that Jeanette was busy this evening with chorus practice. But she herself was free. She borrowed her daughter's blue cape and sneaked away. A little frightened she followed the path downwards. It was spooky to walk alone. The boat was ready at the lake and she punted quietly over the water. The door to his house was open and she saw Erik standing at his organ. He stroke a chord occasionally and wrote down notes. Christine approached him slowly. He wasn't expecting company so he wore no mask. "So you came tonight after all, Jeanette?" Christine took off her hood. "No, Erik, it is I who come to you." – "Christine, you are welcome. We haven't met alone for a long time. You see what I do? I compose. I revive again thanks to Jeanette." Christine still said nothing. He turned towards her. She came up to him, took his face between her hands and kissed him. He put his arms around her and then they embraced fervently, kissing passionately. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. "so long ago, so long ago.." she whispered. He lifted her in his arms and carried her over his threshold. Gently he put her down on his bed. Trembling he began to unbutton her dress and she tried to untie his necktie. Then he whispered "Christine" and buried his face against her breast.

They loved fervently and intensely as to compensate for time long wasted. Exhausted they fell asleep together and didn't wake up until the next morning. Christine licked her sore lips and caressed her lover's face. "Imagine that we still had so much heat within us."

But what then? Christine has go get back to Raoul and explain where she has been. Will she tell him the truth? Will she tell Jeanette?


End file.
